Letter from California Public Utilities Commission to SoCalGas, August 5, 2021
This is the full text of the letter sent today, August 5, 2021 from Rachel Peterson, Executive Director of the California Public Utilities Commission to Scott Drury, Chief Executive Officer of Southern California Gas (SoCalGas). The original pdf of this letter can be downloaded here. Light formatting has been added for highlighting the two sections of the letter
August 5, 2021
VIA E-MAIL
Scott Drury, Chief Executive Officer
Southern California Gas Company
555 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1011
SUBJECT: Ventura Compressor Station
Dear Mr. Drury:
As you are aware, there has been considerable public concern about the safety and air quality impacts from the Ventura Compressor Station modernization project. During recent public comment periods at California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Voting Meetings, for example, we heard numerous callers from the Ventura County region express these concerns This public outcry raises questions about how Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) conducts community outreach and incorporates community interests into its plans.
It is imperative that SoCalGas understand the importance of responding to community concerns. We expect SoCalGas to work with the community, including representatives from the City of Ventura, to explore solutions to their concerns.
Commission staff transmitted the attached request for data and information to SoCalGas on July 23, 2021. The request is for SoCalGas’s analysis of alternatives for the compressor station project, including SoCalGas’s analysis of engineering, sites and locations, and the compressor station’s role in the pipeline system.
SoCalGas’s response to this request is due Friday, August 6, 2021. Commission staff will post SoCalGas’s response on our website at https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/natural-gas.
The CPUC also expects SoCalGas to fully explain to the community its plans for the project. The CPUC expects SoCalGas to hold a public forum to present (1) full analysis of all options considered for the compressor station upgrade, (2) the basis for rejecting all alternatives, including but not limited to electric compressors for all or part of the project, (3) all alternative sites that were considered and SoCalGas’s reasons for rejecting them, and (4) an explanation of how this project factors into both local and statewide safe and reliable service and the state’s decarbonization efforts. Letter to Scott Drury re Ventura
This public forum should be held prior to any next steps in procurement and planning that may occur in accordance with SoCalGas’ construction schedule. Additionally, SoCalGas shall address public concerns at this public forum to provide robust community engagement and respond to any additional questions from community members. Please send your outreach plan to the CPUC’s Public Advisor, Allison Brown (Allison.Brown@cpuc.ca.gov), in the News and Outreach Office three weeks prior to your event to ensure adequate notice and robust outreach to all local governments.
Sincerely,
Rachel Peterson
Executive Director
cc: President Marybel Batjer, CPUC
Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves, CPUC
Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen, CPUC
Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma, CPUC
Commissioner Darcie L. Houck, CPUC
Edward Randolph, Deputy Executive Director for Energy and Climate Policy
Terrie Prosper, Director, News and Outreach Office
Allison Brown, Public Advisor, CPUC
Senator Monique Limón, District 19
Assemblymember Steve Bennett, District 37
Meredith Williams, Executive Director, Department of Toxic Substances Control
Laki Tisopulos, Air Pollution Control Officer, Ventura County Air Pollution Control District
Sofia Rubalcava, Mayor, City of Ventura
Mike Johnson, Councilmember, City of Ventura
Service Lists to A.17-10-007/A.17-10-008, A.21-05-010, A.21-05-011, R.20-01-007
CPUC – ENERGY DIVISION
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY – DATA REQUEST 5
RE: VENTURA COMPRESSOR STATION
DATE REQUESTED: JULY 23, 2021
DATE DUE: AUGUST 6, 2021
JPL NASA detected methane emissions on October 16, 2017, at or near the Ventura Compressor Station site. Please provide details of the incident, including, but not limited to the questions below: a. Where did the leak or venting of methane occur?
b. Did any sensors (including air/emissions monitoring and/or pressure-loss sensors) get activated?
c. Was it a blowdown purge? (Evacuating trapped gas when shutting compressor station.)
d. How often does SoCalGas have to purge the blowdown stack?
e. If it wasn’t a blowdown purge, what caused the incident?
f. What equipment was leaking?
g. What measures were taken to fix the methane leak?
h. What activities were performed at the Ventura Compressor Station on about October 16, 2017. Please include a list of all Operation and Maintenance on that date
Please provide specific analyses of technical feasibility, costs, metrics, and engineering constraints that were conducted for considering the use of electric-driven compressors. If no formal analysis was done, please explain in detail why not and what barriers exist to using electric compressors at this site.
a. SoCalGas has stated that one reason it decided not to use electric compressors was the local risk of public safety power shut-off (PSPS) events. If electric compressors were used and the power went out for an extended period, can the La Goleta storage field provide enough withdrawal capacity and/or pressure to keep gas flowing to customers at a rate sufficient to avoid a widespread need to relight customer pilot lights? If so, how many hours/days could La Goleta supply adequate gas/pressure?
b. Can back-up electricity generation be installed at Ventura to support electric-driven compressors during PSPS events or other outages e.g., batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, or natural gas fuel cells? Can a dedicated and/or redundant electric line be brought into the compressor station to ensure continued service during a PSPS event?
c. Is it possible to install a hybrid half-electric, half-gas driven compressor configuration in Ventura, similar to what is planned for the Moreno Compressor Station?
i. What horsepower are the proposed gas and electric compressors at Moreno Compressor Station?
Do the existing compressor safety devices have dual-system controls (electronics and air pneumatic)? Would the new compressors have the same safety devices and controls as the old compressors, fewer safety devices and controls, or more safety devices and controls?
Are there any other sites where this compressor station could be located while still providing its essential functions? If so, please explain in detail what the relative pros and cons are for the alternative site(s) compared to the existing site. If not, please explain in detail what barriers exist to locating this compressor station elsewhere.
Please provide a map of pipelines going into and out of Ventura Compressor Station that includes the pipeline numbers, diameter, and maximum and minimum operating pressure.
Does the Ventura Compressor station play a role in directing flow into different converging pipelines? If so, would relocating the compressors affect operations for directional flow management?
What are the logistical requirements and cost for relocating Ventura Compressor Station to a different site.
Please provide the estimated combined noise decibels for the new compressors compared to the existing compressors.